CEO Guide to the States

New Jersey

Record Economic Growth in the Garden State

Companies continue to flock to New Jersey for strong talent and a business-friendly environment. Choose New Jersey reported a record-breaking $987 million in economic impact in 2024, with more than 2,100 new and retained jobs across 62 expansions and relocations. In 2025, the state launched the $500 million Next New Jersey Manufacturing initiative, which incentivizes manufacturing investment and job creation with tax credits linked to workforce expansion and sustainability goals.

”People I hear from want good schools. They want good job opportunities to get ahead, want to be able to afford a home to start to build generational wealth.”
Mikie Sherrill
Governor

TAXES

0 %

top corporate income tax

# 0

on the Tax Foundation’s State Tax Competitiveness Index

EDUCATION

0 %

of adults 25 years of age and older graduated high school

0 %

of adults age 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or higher

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

0 %

RIGHT TO WORK STATE

No

QUALITY OF LIFE

# 0

POPULATION GROWTH

0 %

increase between 2020 and 2024

KEY INCENTIVES

Next New Jersey Manufacturing Program: Offers tax credits for qualifying companies that invest at least $10 million and create a minimum of 20 jobs.

Grow NJ Assistance Program: Offers corporate business and insurance premium tax credits to companies that create or retain jobs and make capital investments in designated incentive areas.

EDCs

New Jersey Economic Development Authority
njeda.com

Greater Trenton
greatertrenton.org

Newark Alliance
newark-alliance.org

BIG DEALS

  • Former Gov. Murphy, Princeton University, Microsoft and CoreWeave opened the NJ AI Hub in West Windsor Township in March 2025.
  • Nokia opened the Bell Labs Venture Studio in Murray Hill in March 2025 to support telecom research and innovation.
  • UAE-based Hotpack Group announced in April 2025 a $100 million investment and 250 new jobs at a manufacturing facility.
  • Netflix broke ground on a $1 billion state-ofthe-art production facility at Fort Monmouth in May 2025.
  • L’Oréal opened a $160 million research center in Clark in February 2025.
  • RegenLab USA opened a new R&D and manufacturing facility in Jersey City in July 2025.

BIG COMPANIES

Fifteen Fortune 500 company HQs in the state.

Roundtable

Strategic Planning Workshop

1:00 - 5:00 pm

Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process

Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:

  1. Lack of systematic approach (70%)
  2. Laundry lists without prioritization (68%)
  3. Decisions based on personalities rather than facts and information (65%)

 

Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns.  They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning.  Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process.  This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented.  If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form.  The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.

To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.

New York, NY: ​​​Chief Executive's Corporate Citizenship Awards 2017

Women in Leadership Seminar and Peer Discussion

2:00 - 5:00 pm

Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations. 

Limited space available.

To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $495 will be added to your total.

Golf Outing

10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
Sponsored by UBS

General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.

The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.

To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $295 will be added to your total.